Competitive, tough-to-call fixtures have always been a hallmark of the UEFA European Championship, but there have been times when there was only ever going to be one winner.
Five teams have racked up five-goal winning margins in EURO fixtures, the first two making hay on the same day – and Spain the latest to join the club after defeating Slovakia 5-0 at EURO 2020.
1984 group stage: France 5-0 Belgium
Platini 4 74pen 89, Giresse 33, Fernández 43
The EURO ’84 hosts started with a tentative 1-0 victory over Denmark, but in Nantes they and their talisman ratcheted up the gears. A predatory fourth-minute rebound, a penalty and a header accounted for a hat-trick from Michel Platini. The majestic No10 scored another treble in Les Bleus’ next fixture and ended the tournament with a EURO record nine goals.
1984 group stage: Denmark 5-0 Yugoslavia
Arnesen 8 69pen, Berggreen 16, Elkjær 82, Lauridsen 84
On the same day that France were overwhelming Belgium, the Danes were also winning by a five-goal margin in Lyon. Although Yugoslavia were two down inside 16 minutes, it was not until Frank Arnesen’s penalty midway through the second half that the dam burst. Two goals in the closing eight minutes completed the rout.
2000 quarter-finals: Netherlands 6-1 Yugoslavia
Kluivert 24 38 54, Govedarica og 51, Overmars 78 90; Milošević 90
An all-singing, all-dancing display from the Dutch that remains the only occasion in EURO finals history when a team has scored six. Three of them came from Patrick Kluivert – a man who, at the height of his career, had eyes only for the back of the net – and two courtesy of the vivacious wing play of Marc Overmars.
2004 group stage: Sweden 5-0 Bulgaria
Ljungberg 32, Larsson 57 58, Ibrahimović 78pen, Allbäck 90+1
Having initially retired from international action following Sweden’s round of 16 exit at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Henrik Larsson was coaxed back for UEFA EURO 2004; this was the reason why. A double from the clinical forward – his first a spectacular diving header – and further efforts from Fredrik Ljungberg, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Marcus Allbäck did the damage.
2020 group stage: Slovakia 0-5 Spain
Dúbravka 30og, Laporte 45+3, Sarabia 56, Ferran Torres 67, Kucka 71og
Nerves were jangling after Luis Enrique’s side drew their first two Group E games, and the fates seemed to be conspiring against them when Martin Dúbravka saved an Álvaro Morata penalty early on. However, the goalkeeper palmed the ball into his own net to give Spain the lead in Seville, and they never looked back.
